Trio of Arizona charter schools to close after getting 'F' grades

The Arizona State Board for Charter Schools is set to close three charter schools that received F ratings.

The state’s primary charter authorizer issued notices of intent to revoke contracts for these three F-rated Arizona charter schools: Omega Schools Inc. in Glendale, Founding Fathers Academies Inc. in Show Low and Kin Dah Lichii Olta, which is in Ganado.

The three schools have 48 hours to notify staff, students and parents. As the charter schools go through the revocation process, they are expected to close by the end of the year.

Arizona has 602 charter school in Arizona that enroll 184,400 students. About 30 percent of the state’s public schools are charter schools and about 17 percent of public students in Arizona attend a charter school

Eileen Sigmund, president and CEO of the Arizona Charter Schools Association, said this is an historic moment for the charter school movement in Arizona.

“Because Arizona’s laws require high accountability for charters, the state’s primary authorizer is able to close poor performing schools,” she said.